


Sure Lived Up To Those Stories

by i_luv_obiwan91



Series: James and His Lark [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: 1940s, AU to my own story-line, F/M, If Lark and Bucky had met in the 40's, Levi - Freeform, Meeting Big Brother, Steve dances!???, Swing Dancing, WWII AU, pre-serum!Steve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-27
Updated: 2015-04-27
Packaged: 2018-03-26 01:31:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3832144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/i_luv_obiwan91/pseuds/i_luv_obiwan91
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>1940's AU OF MY OWN STORY</p><p>“Lark Townsend. I’m glad to finally meet you, Steve.”<br/>Disarmed by her politeness and the sincerity in pleasantries, Steve allowed himself a smile in return, suddenly not as reluctant for the evening. “It’s good to meet you, too. Hope you don’t believe everything this jerk has to say about me.” Bucky shoved his shoulder playfully.<br/>Lark just grinned. “I guess we’ll have to see has the night goes on, won’t we?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sure Lived Up To Those Stories

“You really want me to meet this one, huh?” Steve was a little dubious, usually it was Buck’s attempt to get him out socially, but his best friend had been acting a little more sober about his dates lately. And they were all with the same gal, so that was something. They were on their way to meet her, now.

“She’s a doll. Not just an empty head of curls, either, real smart and real nice. You’ll love her, Steve.” Bucky’s eyes were ahead of them, scanning the street to see if he could spot the young woman yet.

Shrugging, Steve acknowledged with a smirk. “Be a change.”

The comment earned a warning look from over Bucky’s shoulder. “If you behave yourself, I’ll let you dance with her.” Before Steve could turn him down on the offer, a girl’s voice was calling Buck’s attention from the queue of the club. “Don’t be a punk.” Sparing the last word of advice, he turned around with a wide grin and soon pulled a pretty brunette into hug. They both turned to Steve as he approached, and he couldn’t help but notice how close Bucky kept his arm around the dame’s waist. “Lark, this is my best friend, Steve Rogers.”

With a smile both bright and genuine, she stuck her hand out and shook Steve’s as best as she could while her beau still had a hold on her. “Lark Townsend. I’m glad to finally meet you, Steve.”

Disarmed by her politeness and the sincerity in pleasantries, Steve allowed himself a smile in return, suddenly not as reluctant for the evening. “It’s good to meet you, too. Hope you don’t believe everything this jerk has to say about me.” Bucky shoved his shoulder playfully.

Lark just grinned. “I guess we’ll have to see as the night goes on, won’t we?”

“You ready to dance, sweetheart?” Bucky planted a warm kiss to her cheek and she blushed prettily, nodding.

“My brother’s inside, he’s got a table saved for us.” Lark turned her head to Steve as they all walked toward the building. “Levi’s in the Navy, and he’s shipping out after the weekend.” There was pride in her voice, but Steve could read the love for her brother and worry in her expression as well. He gave her an encouraging smile, which she returned.

The music was loud, but it was a great band, and Bucky hardly let Lark sit down for a drink before pulling his girl out on the dance floor for a swing song. The two men left at the table got on pretty well, but were soon content just to watch the dancing and sip on their drinks. Levi looked over at him pretty seriously at one point. “Your friend, he a good man or some drugstore cowboy? Because I’m leaving soon and I need to know if I’m leaving my sister in good hands, or if I need to make sure she’s on her own.”

Steve wasn’t too surprised by him, and figured Bucky would have a good ‘talking to’ before the night was over and Levi left out. Probably be good for him. “Buck’s a good guy, and getting better. He’s never been so stuck on a dame before, and I think Lark’s been good for him.” He thought twice about telling him how all the other girls had just been for a good time, and nothing serious, and decided it didn’t need mentioning. Those broads would come for a date, maybe two, but Buck had been with Lark for a few months now, and he’d never acted quite like this. So Steve decided to let the past be the past and not sully what could be a good reputation in the making for his friend.

Levi looked at him steady for a minute before nodding, glancing back into the crowd of dancers. “Course she has. She’s the kind makes a man want to be a better one.” The fond gaze he had out for his sister—and smirk when he caught her eye—told Steve how close they were, and the good protector Levi had always been. “Hold her any tighter, chum, I’ll come stick a Bible between the two of you!” He hollered out and laughed, seeing Bucky turn his head and Lark throwing a hand at her brother playfully. Levi winked over at Steve, and he chuckled.

 

After a few songs, Bucky finally let Lark have a rest and come back over to the table with the rest of them, ordering a gin for himself and a coke for the lady. Lark just rolled her eyes, but gladly accepted the cold soda when it came. “You know I like a whiskey every now and then, right, James?” The woman murmured below the din of music and noise of the club to her beau, and he grinned at her, putting his hand on her knee under the table.

“I’ll get you one later, doll. Promise.” Bucky’s eyes softened looking at her and his thumb played with the skirt of her dress until he felt the thin stocking covering her leg. Lark acted like he wasn’t touching her so closely, but leaned on the table to hide what he was doing and watched his face with heavy lidded eyes and a subtle smile.

Levi cleared his throat loud enough and suddenly enough to make Bucky jump a little. “You want to step outside with me a minute, Buck?” The man stood up, his uniform and height suddenly more intimidating than before, and Lark kissed her lover’s cheek before pushing him to follow after her brother.

When they’d gone, Lark winked at Steve, and he laughed lightly. “I hope he doesn’t rough him up too bad, he sure looks spiffy in his suit tonight.”

“Sure.” Shrugging, Steve looked around the club, heard the band start up an easy tune. “You know if you want… I mean, I probably won’t step on your toes _too_ bad with a slow song, if… if you want—“

“I thought you’d never ask, Steve.” Lark’s smile was bright and honest, and it gave him the muster he needed to stand and take her out on the dance floor. She was taller than him, most women were, but it wasn’t awkward—or at least Lark didn’t make it seem awkward—when he put his arm around her waist and she let her forearm rest on his shoulder. “This is nice. You keep better time than most guys.” She complimented, even though they were really just swaying, and he flushed pretty dark on pale skin.

“Thanks. I listen to music all the time, I just don’t do much else with it.”

“Well I like what you’re doing with it now, so thanks.” She talked easily with him, and they enjoyed the music. It came up that he’d tried to enlist—and tried a few times—and a shadow touched Lark’s face, even though she listened attentively. When there was a break in conversation, Lark spoke up hesitantly. “I won’t say I hope you get accepted, Steve. Honestly, I wish James and Levi weren’t in the service, but that’s a duty they wanted and I respect that. I don’t know, I just worry.”

Steve squeezed her hand a little—even though his was clammy, and that was embarrassing—in an effort to comfort her. “There’s nothing wrong with worrying. Sometimes things need to be done, though. They’re important.”

A reluctant smile quirked her painted lips, and she nodded. “Yeah, I know you’re right.” They shared a look of mutual understanding and Lark’s expression eased a little bit.

The pleasant smile drained quickly, however, when a strange man came up and took Steve by the shoulder to push off, taking his place with Lark. “If you don’t mind, Joe, I think the lady’s ready to have a good time again.”

“Hey!” Steve’s brow was stern now, undaunted, and pulled on the guy’s arm that held Lark too tight. She struggled to pull away and frowned at the taller man, smelling a little too much giggle water on his breath. “Back off, she doesn’t want—“

He was shoved away again, harder this time. “Doesn’t wanna’ suffer through another dance with _you_ , pal. Guarantee that.”

The cocky remark was all Lark could take, and while he was distracted addressing Steve, she laid into him with forceful left hook, stepping quickly back when it shocked his grip loose on her. “This lady doesn’t want any kinda’ time with _you_ , you lounge lizard!” Steve stepped up in front of her to defend her when the idiot turned around angry. “Steve, come on. Don’t give this guy the time of day.” She tried to pull him back with her, glancing behind in the hopes that Levi and James had returned. He would have let her stop him, but the tipsy man wasn’t finished now that his pride needed avenging and Steve made sure Lark was behind him before being lunged at with a stronger arm than his own.

On the floor now with reddened eye, Steve looked up to see Lark pushing on the other man and trying to keep them from fighting. When he shoved Lark on the floor carelessly, Steve could feel his blood boiling, and got up and managed to get a punch in before he was laid out again and Bucky’s voice was shouting over the disturbance.

“Back off!” Dodging and socking the boozer on the jaw, Bucky left him to recover on his own and went over to help Steve up. “You all right?” He nodded, looking over to Lark where Levi had gone to pick her up and see if she was okay. “Let’s get out of here, huh?” The scene was enough to disrupt the music playing, and Bucky knew it’d be best to let the instigator stick around to receive the bar’s heat, and not them.

Outside, Lark quickly came to Steve and held his face carefully, looking over the bloody nose and bruise under his eye. “Oh Steve, I’m sorry about this. We’ll get you cleaned up.”

“I’ve had worse. Are you hurt? You’re okay?” He managed to play it off for the moment, and Lark’s hands came to rest on his shoulders with a sigh.

“Yeah, but that jerk sure ruined our good dance, didn’t he?”

Steve smiled a little lopsidedly and shrugged. “I don’t know, I thought it was pretty good up till that.”

Laughing, Lark hugged him and kissed his uninjured cheek. “You’re a sweetheart, and you’re right. Thanks, Steve.” His face was flushed for all sorts of reasons now.

“You sure he didn’t shake you up too bad, Lark? When I saw you on the floor, all I saw was red.” Bucky touched her gently and soon held her at the waist.

“I’m just fine, James. Steve took good care of me.” Lark turned to Steve with an appreciative smile. “Sure lived up to those stories you told me about him, didn’t he?”

“Sure did.” Bucky looked over his friend fondly, shaking his head.

“Even let me get the first punch in.” Lark said it like Steve had gentlemanly opened a door or picked up a handkerchief.

Levi and James, however, snapped their heads in her direction at the same time, voices raised and overlapping one another. “ _What_?” “ _You_ started it?”

She and Steve shared a wide grin, and Lark winked at him.


End file.
